Melissa's Race Recap

It has been a very busy month this September, so much travel in the schedule this month - almost all of it vacation of one sort or another. I am very happy and very blessed for all the vacays this month - but I wish it wasn't so hectic.

Something had to give, and so this blog was the sacrifice. *sigh*

Before my Melissa's Road Race on Sept 22, there was a very special package that was left for me at the Running Room in Eau Claire. Peter Corrigan, one of the up and rising athletes aiming for the Olympics in Rio in 2016, left me a $25 gift certificate before he moved to Toronto!! He was giving away this gift certificate when I happened upon his twitter feed, and he happened to read this post about my kidney transplant anniversary.  He then decided to award this gift card to me.  I was extremely touched, not only by the generous gift he gave me, but also b/c he took the time to read my blog!  THANK YOU PETER!!

Gift card from Peter Corrigan

MELISSA'S ROAD RACE RECAP:

I remember staying up ALL NIGHT in February with a friend to wait for the opening of registration so I could get into the 10k race.  Melissa's Road Race did not disappoint.

Beautiful morning.  Beautiful scenery.  Beautiful run.  Beautiful race.

Not a cloud in the sky! Me and my bib 1064.

I started just in front of the 7 min pace bunny (which would mean a 1:10 hr finish). I was a bit nervous b/c my St. Patrick's Day race was 1:10:02 chip time - and that was relatively easy and flat!!  But this 10k involved running up and down a mountain - wasn't sure how I was gonna deal with that.

Then I made other unpleasant discoveries...such as having my music, but not having my Garmin with me at all!  How was I going to do my 10:1's???  But I didn't have much time to feel devastated with this discovery...before I knew it, the people at the front were crossing the start line and it was time to move forward and prepare to run.  So I did.

I strategized a little by using the "3 song" rule: run 3 songs, walk to a count of 60 in my head and run for the next 3 songs.  It was sort of like a 10:1 interval.  I also started slow by deliberately pacing myself with a couple for a while.  But then they got speedy on the bridge and I wasn't ready to move any faster. 

It was pretty cool to running with so many people that my entire field of view was a sea of bobbing heads.  This is my first out of town race - and first race with so many people!!  I think Run for the Cure may have felt similar but I am not sure there was as many people.  We ran from the Recreational Grounds up the road, across the bridge and down the main drag.  It was amazing to see a road, normally full of cars, and instead to see it full of runners!  We turned a corner off the main drag and slowly made our way up to Tunnel Mountain.  A lot of people already started walking at that point; I kept running; after all, I was still on my 2nd song!

I was worried, but I still felt good so when we got to the steady uphill climb of Tunnel Mountain, I kept running.  Some people already were walking at that point and I was passing left and right.  What surprised me was that, while I was tired and it was work to run up the hill, I felt like I *had* to stop.  So I didn't - I kept on running up that darned mountain!  I also knew that if I stopped running up the mountain, that would be it for the rest of the uphill, so I refused to walk even though it looked so tempting!

After I ran past the first peak, at some point I saw the 4k marker and I was shocked!  I had run 4k nonstop - and up a mountain to boot!  I felt like right there I had won the race!  But of course there was still another 6k to go, so I kept going.  I lost count of how many songs had gone by, I hadn't stopped running since passing the start line.  I was just starting the 2nd peak on the mountain when I got tummy cramps and decided to walk up that peak...as did just about everyone else at the race LOL.  I was a bit upset as I thought I would be plagued with this tummyache the rest of the race.  After I had completed the crest of the 2nd peak, I forced myself to run even though I was still hurting.  At least it was downhill, and after a while, the tummyaches went away.  There was so much downhill, that I let gravity take its course with me.  Which was to take me down the mountain - fast!  I passed so many people, it was crazy!  How I even managed not to trip and die was a wonder in itself.

I did another walk just after the 6k marker for a bit, on a level stretch.  When I recommenced running again, I noticed the 7k marker.  I realized that there was only 3k left...I could run this. At this point, everyone started speeding up but I didn't; I was scared I would burn out before the finish line.   So I kept an even effort and pace on the level path by the river.  At 8k, I felt ok and decided to just go for the finish.  People were passing me right and left and everywhere but I kept an even keel and focussed on the finish.  I think I did good, esp since my only other race was a chip finish of 1:10:02:

Yay!  A new personal best!  TAKE THAT, TUNNEL MOUNTAIN!!

Me post-race - so happy I ran over a mountain and did the 10k!

The post-race goodies were so well organized that even my non-running hubby was impressed.  My daughter wanted to run with me but then she saw the playground....  We all agree it's a race we all need to participate again.

We spent an extra day in Banff and took in all kinds of goodies and shopping.  My daughter picked flowers, ate lots, and just enjoyed the weekend with us.

Happy morning, Banff!  At Wild Flour Bakery.

I have so many other overdue posts...I hope y'all have patience, and I'll get to the others soon.  Just one more trip this week!